


Size Matters

by hutchabelle



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Halloween, Halloween Costumes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-01
Updated: 2016-10-31
Packaged: 2018-08-28 09:03:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8439637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hutchabelle/pseuds/hutchabelle
Summary: Katniss has very little desire to attend a Halloween party hosted by a new neighbor, but her sister insists.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sohypothetically](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sohypothetically/gifts).



> Happy Halloween! This drabble is for sohypothetically, an incredible person who not only ran the mores2sl challenge brilliantly but still had time to be a great friend and lend a listening ear in the process. She also gave me this fabulous prompt: You never know. Peeta could have moved into their neighborhood. And he opens the door... and you say.... "My lightsaber is bigger than yours" when you see he's ALSO dressed as Darth.  Special thanks to xerxia31 for being a wonderful human, beta, and friend.
> 
>  
> 
>  

 

“Prim, I don’t want to,” Katniss whined and fidgeted as she looked at herself in the mirror.

 

Her sister heaved a despondent sigh and barked, “Too bad! It’s Halloween. You got a party invitation. You’re dressed in black leather. Get off your ass and go!”

 

“Why can’t I stay here? I have a lot of work to do, and this outfit is really uncomfortable.”

 

“Are you done yet?” the younger Everdeen asked, her tone dry and her eyebrow cocked.

 

“And I don’t want to.”

 

“You are, without a doubt, the most stubborn person in the entire world,” Prim hissed before shoving her sister through the front door and slamming it shut behind her. The lock clicked into place, and Katniss pounded on the door. A delighted cackle floated through the cracked window, and she heard her sister shout, “Except me! Go to the party!”

 

Katniss stood for a moment on the porch and fought against the rising sense of panic. Nothing made her more uncomfortable than hanging out with a room full of strangers without a purpose other than attempting to have fun. She was awful at small talk, and there were only a couple of people she considered friends. The only thing redeeming about tonight’s get-together was that it was a costume party, and no one would be able to see her face if she kept her mask on all night.

 

With a grumble and a bit of cursing, she adjusted her pants and straightened her cape before pressing the helmet down on her head and flipping on the switch that lit up her red lightsaber. It was an inside joke with her sister to dress up as Darth Vader, but now she felt silly as she strode down the sidewalk to the street.

 

“Number 451,” she repeated under her breath as she walked. She assumed she wouldn’t have any trouble finding the house, but she didn’t want to mistakenly show up at the wrong door and have the residents think she was someone who didn’t understand when to stop begging for candy from neighbors.

 

The party’s host was relatively new to the neighborhood. He’d moved in a few weeks prior, and she’d only caught glimpses of him as he helped unpack the moving truck one day while she passed by on her way to work. Since then, she’d seen him twice—once when he was raking leaves and the other as he carried groceries into his home. She still wasn’t sure how she’d rated an invitation to what her sister insisted was the hottest party the neighborhood had ever seen. If that was so, then why had Prim volunteered to stay home and pass out candy instead of accompanying Katniss to her own personal hell?

 

Too soon, she stood on the stoop and pushed the doorbell, shivering when the sound wasn’t a chime but cackling, spooky laughter. She shifted from one foot to the other until the door swung open to reveal a stocky, muscular Darth Vader several inches taller than herself.

 

“Happy Halloween! Welcome to my home,” he offered in raspy greeting before pushing his helmet back to reveal his face. His piercing blue eyes sparkled in admiration at her costume, and his full pink lips split into a disarming smile that caused her stomach to flutter a little.

 

“I’m Peeta, new neighbor awkwardly attempting to meet people. And you’re…?”

 

“Katniss,” she sputtered as his pupils widened. “My lightsaber is bigger than yours.”

 

He glanced down at the small plastic toy in his hands and then to her authentic replica of Darth Vader’s weapon before bursting into laughter. His shoulders shook, and the helmet slid backward to reveal a shock of golden curls that looked as soft as dandelion fluff.

 

“I’m sorry,” he gasped. “I’m not trying to be rude, but…wow. I can’t breathe.” She waited, unsure and self-conscious, until he managed to control his breathing and explained, “I wasn’t expecting that, and my brain didn’t exactly keep it PG rated.”

 

She blushed furiously and ripped off her helmet to allow the soft evening breeze to cool her flaming cheeks. “This is why I don’t go to parties,” she muttered and twisted in preparation to flee, but he caught her before she’d taken a step.

 

“Hey. Where are you going? There’s a party inside.” His voice was gentle, just like his grip on her wrist, and she shook her head so hard some clips fell out.

 

“I can’t—” she started and grabbed her braid. Instead, she missed and ripped the Velcro holding her cape on her costume so that it dropped to the ground.

 

Peeta released her and knelt to grab the cape. As he straightened, he paused, and she could feel his eyes raking up her body—over the laced boots, her leather clad thighs, and the ribbed shirt tucked into her waistband. His irises darkened, and he gulped before standing. He shifted slightly and cocked his left hip. It only took a split second for her to realize he was attempting to hide his reaction to her body.

 

“Here,” he said softly and held out the material for her to take.

 

“Thanks,” she mumbled and balled up the cape in her gloved hands. “I, uh… Welcome to the neighborhood, Peeta. It’s nice to meet you.”

 

“Please don’t leave.”

 

When she turned to glance at him, he gave her a smile so genuinely sweet with just the right touch of shyness that unexpected warmth rushed through her. She hesitated. Music and laughter from inside his house made her stomach clench in discomfort, but something about this man made her want to find out what was under his cape too.

 

“I’ll let you play with my lightsaber if you let me look at yours,” he teased.

 

She snorted, and they burst into laughter together.

 

“Well, I can’t turn down an invitation like that, can I?”

 

“Who could?  Welcome to the party, Katniss.”


End file.
